Japan, U.S. plan tie-up in environment, energy fields

The Japanese and U.S. governments have said they will form a comprehensive tie-up to jointly study state-of-the-art technologies in eight fields, including solar power generation and biofuels. The two countries agreed during a summit meeting in February between Prime Minister Taro Aso and U.S. President Barack Obama that they would enhance technical cooperation to promote alternative energy sources and next-generation automobiles. The tie-up includes Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, as well as five U.S. national research centers including the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, which falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Energy Department. The eight fields include solar power generation; production of biofuels from plant cellulose, excluding grains; and carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS). The two countries will research and develop a high-performance solar battery that directly converts sunlight into electricity and plan to find ways to use special, more efficient polymer membranes for improved separation and collection of CO2. (March 29, 2009)